1585, Yoita Castle, Mishima
Take a deep breath Kanetsugu. The young man ran the clenched fingers of both hands through his hair. I am peaceful. I am calm, and not at all hopping mad and about to explode like Mt. Fuji and spew bloody fragments of skull, scalp and brain matter all over the walls of this goddamned study!
Unable to control himself any further, Kanetsugu slammed a fist onto his desk. Though he was never physically powerful or hot-tempered enough to smash furniture when enraged, the resulting bang reverberated like a gunshot through the screen-walls of the castle; and sent Lady Osen scurrying to check on her infuriated husband.
The door slid open to reveal an extremely frazzled Kanetsugu hunched over his paperwork. The normally placid retainer was panting and clearly on the brink of a mental breakdown, a sight that was truly alarming to behold. As she approached, his shoulders sagged and his expression returned to one of calm despair.
"Lady Osen, forgive me for disturbing the peace. I –"
"Shh….I've brought you some tea." Osen set the cup down. "You've done your duties well. Lord Kagekatsu must surely appreciate your wise counsel." She smiled warmly at the younger man. If there was anything she was truly thankful for, the sullen daimyo had granted her a husband so gentle that she feared for his sanity rather than her safety when he was throwing a tantrum.
"Osen, do you know what this is?" Kanetsugu held up a crumpled letter. "Our lord believes that eight of our guard captains supported Kagetora at Otate and wants us to dispose of them." He clenched his fists. "I can't do it! Asking us to assassinate our own loyal staff is the lowest form of dishonor! Shunsuke, Hiroshi, Itsuki, Tsukahara…they've served this castle long before I've been here."
Osen could only bow her head in sympathy. Kanetsugu continued, "The civil war should never have happened. Lord Kenshin intended his sons to rule together. With Kagetora slain and half our forces destroyed, we had no chance against Nobunaga…"
"Nobunaga is dead too," Osen reminded him.
"And we are left serving Kagekatsu; who started this injustice and will not stop until he has murdered every imaginable source of opposition." Kanetsugu's voice was bitter. "There has never been any brotherly love within Kenshin's clan."
Osen pondered the situation carefully. While she and Yoita Castle officially belonged to Kanetsugu, the younger man spent most of his time advising Kagekatsu and other Uesugi retainers on matters of domestic governance. Though it went unsaid, the castle itself still remained largely under her administration. "My lord, can I transfer these captains to new positions in the southern frontier? There has been a chronic staff shortage ever since the Oda halted their advance."
"I've thought of that, but Lord Kagekatsu knows their names. He might still hunt them down."
"Well then, we'll just rename them."
"What?"
"Well, you weren't always called Kanetsugu, and Lord Kenshin wasn't always known by the same name. As a reward for their long and distinguished service, we could bestow them better names."
"It sounds reasonable," Kanetsugu concurred, not daring to be too optimistic. "At any rate, Lord Kagekatsu's orders specified that we 'dispose of them'. He did not state exactly how."
"So that is settled then. And you, Kanetsugu, are in need of a rest." Osen drew herself up to her full height. "Really, I can't mother you here all day. Take some leave and go back to Kasugayama; since you like Kenshin so much."
1585, outside Yoita Castle
"Hey Hiroshi, you got the transfer letter too?"
"Yeah. Southern border garrisons. All eight of us."
"So what's the new name he gave you?"
"Yukimura. I like it."
"That can't be right, I'm Yukimura."
"So am I."
"Me too!"
"Same here."
"Wait a minute…you mean he's named all of us 'Yukimura'?!"
"……"
Two weeks later, Kanetsugu's convoy was well on its way to Kasugayama, the birthplace and former residence of Uesugi Kenshin. Deep in the heart of Echigo, the castle and its surrounding settlements were far from the clan's war-ravaged borders and Kanetsugu noted with considerable pride the large number of healthy, young children spotted playing amongst the rice paddies - evidence of population growth since the daimyo's passing. He even felt confident enough to travel lightly – enthusiastic farmers vied with each other for the honor of supplying his meals and other necessities. Though he did his best to remain humble in the face of their (often overwhelming) hospitality, Kanetsugu could not help but feel a surge of pride when he recognized that this peace and prosperity was the direct result of laws and policies which he had helped to shape.
At Osen's insistence, he was escorted by a squad consisting mostly of younger soldiers; teenagers who had never travelled far from their homes near Yoita Castle, let alone seen battle. She explained that the long journey would be an education for them; but Kanetsugu was beginning to suspect that his companions were also picked for their youthful exuberance; which lifted his spirits and reminded him of happier times when love and honor were the only things worth fighting for. By day, they played kemari and sparred with each other at rest stops; by night, they slipped out to court village maidens. Their boundless energy made Kanetsugu ponder how many of the next crop of babies would be due to this sojourn. As they travelled southwest, the path began to slope uphill; taking them from the flatlands of Kashiwakazi into the mountainous terrain surrounding their destination. Though it was late summer, the distant peaks still bore white caps of snow. Eventually the convoy stopped to purchase rations in bulk – they were passing fewer and fewer villages until it seemed that the land was a green expanse of primeval forest. Little had changed since he had first travelled here, Kanetsugu reflected. Many of the conifers were older than him, older than Kenshin; and quite possibly older than Echigo. In the dappled shadows under the trees, small animals scuttled away at his approach; while herds of sika deer and wild boar left behind trails of scat and cropped undergrowth. One dark night, he even glimpsed the glow of the campfire's light reflected in the eyes of a wolf.
When villages started appearing regularly again, Kanetsugu often stopped to greet their headmen; old acquaintances whom he had not had the chance to speak to in several years. It was then that they confirmed a fact that Kanetsugu had only suspected during his journey. Closer to Mt. Kasugayama, the various guard posts seemed to be slightly understaffed. Moreover, the civilians reported that a large number of soldiers had been summoned to the castle. It seemed as if a small army had been mobilized; but for what purpose? The Uesugi had cautiously avoided combat in the past few years, desperate to strengthen its forces again after Nobunaga's incursions and the civil war. If there had been a call to arms, Kanetsugu had clearly missed it; and he felt chagrined by his ignorance.
After almost two weeks on the road, the convoy finally approached the flanks of Mt. Kasugayama. Far above them the castle fortress loomed through the mist, but it would still be an arduous ascent and they paused to rest at Rinsenji temple while they enjoyed the evening meal. A few hours later, they stepped gratefully out of the darkness and into the warm, lamp-lit corridors of Kasugayama Castle.
"Welcome, Lord Kanetsugu. We have been waiting for your arrival." Yamayoshi Ichirou, the current castellan, excitedly showed him in. "It has been a long time since we have played host to Uesugi Kagekatsu's most honored advisor."
Kanetsugu held back a pained expression. Chirpy, young Ichirou inherited the management of Kasugayama Castle after the deaths of both his father and Uesugi Kenshin. "It is my pleasure to serve him," he answered simply, "though I am here for rest and to bask in the memory of his righteous father. Tell me, why have so many soldiers been stripped from the nearby defenses?"
"My apologies. As you were on the road, we were unable to send a messenger to inform you of current developments. The Sanada clan has requested reinforcements against the Tokugawa, and Lord Kagekatsu approved the transfer of two thousand men."
"Hmm…it seems the lords of Shinano must feel greatly threatened, if they are appealing for aid from their former enemies." On reflection, Kanetsugu did not find their predicament surprising. The Sanada were once loyal vassals of the Takeda, but following the devastating losses of many of their best warriors at Nagashino; they chose to submit to Nobunaga. Then came Nobunaga's death at Honnouji, and the Sanada found themselves independent again; surrounded on all sides by larger and more aggressive clans. The weakened Sanada skillfully avoided absorption for the next three years through skillful politicking and careful negotiation, but with everyone hoping to claim a chunk of Shinano for themselves; they could not possibly hold out for long.
"We are the rightful rulers of Shinano." A third voice, low and roughened with age, chimed in. The grim figure of Suda Chikamitsu shuffled into the hall. As Kanetsugu watched, the grizzled old retainer slipped a bunch of keys into the sleeve of his grey kimono.
"Chikamitsu! It's great to see you in good health." Kanetsugu beamed at the ancient warrior.
" The Uesugi and Takeda have fought over Shinano countless times. With our greatest enemy destroyed, there is no reason why we cannot crush the Sanada and reclaim the province. I, for one, long to see my domain again after nearly three decades!"
Ichirou and Kanetsugu rolled their eyes almost simultaneously. Chikamitsu once ruled over his own portion of Shinano, a minor daimyo in his own right; before it was lost to Takeda Shingen. The remnants of the Suda survived by fleeing to Echigo and serving Uesugi Kenshin as retainers; becoming a landless, vassal clan that existed in name only. The former warlord seethed with bitterness and would do anything to reclaim Shinano and his clan's honor.
"We are still weakened. Lord Kagekatsu is biding his time. To embark on an all-out conquest of Shinano now would result in too many losses." Kanetsugu lowered his voice. "Perhaps we could claim it bloodlessly by becoming the Sanada's most steadfast ally." The young man closed his fist and opened it again slowly, releasing an intensely glowing orb of divine energy that rose a few inches into the air and then dissipated. It was a subtle show of strength, and Chikamitsu took the hint.
"I will support your every endeavor, my lord," he replied; though his expression still betrayed fuming resentment as he lowered his head in deference.
"Ichirou, if I might ask; what has Lord Kagekatsu gained as a result of aiding the Sanada? He is an astute man who would not provide such generosity if it did not bring significant benefit to us." More like he is an utterly selfish tight-arse who caused one of his own supporters to commit seppuku as a result of the paltry reward given for his actions at Otate, Kanetsugu reflected.
"We have been given Sanada Yukimura as a hostage." Ichirou smiled meekly. "I wonder if it's a fair trade though, I mean, he's just one man-…why are you staring at me like that, Lord Kanetsugu…?"
"…WHERE IS HE?!" Kanetsugu's mouth hung open in shock. Oh my god…
Ichirou blinked at Kanetsugu's reaction in puzzlement. But Chikamitsu merely stretched and retrieved his bunch of keys with a wry grin.
"I've locked him in the basement."
A/N: I have never done so much natural history research for a yaoi fic before…."O-o
Historical notes about the new characters:
Osen - While it is true that Kanetsugu is officially married at this point; it was also common for samurai to openly take on additional lovers of either sex; so Osen would not have opposed Kane x Yuki in the historical sense. Or you can also choose to assume that since the marriage was arranged by Kagekatsu, Kanetsugu and Osen might not have been really romantically attached. What is remembered is that Osen was an intelligent, supportive and dignified woman who was older than Kanetsugu; and that they got along well.
Yamayoshi Ichirou – Yamayoshi Toyomori was the castellan of Kasugayama Castle until his death; just before Kenshin's. I have searched in vain for the name of the castle's next warden and had to settle with creating a fictional heir for Toyomori.
Suda Chikamitsu – A former daimyo of Shinano, who was Yukimura's guardian during his captivity in Kasugayama Castle. History remembers him as being a very 'capable' warden.
Finally, I know it's an immature joke, but it is completely intended that the initials of the four guard captains mentioned by Kanetsugu spell out 'S-H-I-T '. ;)